The Western States Open, a fixture on the Western circuit for 27 years,
attracted 232 players to the Reno Sands Regency this year, down a bit
from last year's 268. Update 10/25/10: Khachiyan wins tiebreak over Shabalov. Full story coming soon! The 44 players in the Open section include GMs
Alex Shabalov, Alexander Ivanov, Jesse Kraai, Mesgen Amanov, IM Salvijus Bercys, IM Vladimir
Mezentsev, WGM Angelina Belakovskaia, WIM Iryna Zenyuk, Ed Formanek, and Walter Shipman.

With
four of the six rounds in the books, the leaders with 3 1/2 are
Shabalov, Kraai, and Amanov. Shabalov beat Sevillano in Round 3 and
then drew with Kraai. Zhanibek Amanov, an IM from Kazakhstan now living in Los Angeles, drew Khachiyan in the second round and beat Smith in the
fourth.

Trailing close behind with three are Ivanov, Kudrin, Khachiyan, Bercys, FMs John
Bryant, Robby Adamson, and Alex Kretchetov, and young Yian Liou of San Francisco, who drew with Khachiyan in the third round. Look for a full story early in the week, after the tournament's conclusion.